A news-based journal on the Boston restaurant scene. The owner of this blog is also the founder of Boston's Hidden Restaurants, a website that focuses on local dining spots.

Thursday, November 05, 2015

Uni in Boston's Back Bay to Take Over Clio Space

One of Boston's best-known restaurants is saying farewell, and an adjacent lounge will be taking over its space.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Clio in the Back Bay will close at the end of the year, with an "expanded and updated" version of Uni moving in. (Both spots are located within the Eliot Hotel on Commonwealth Avenue.) The article says that owner Ken Oringer sees Clio as being "of a certain time and place" and wants Uni to be a restaurant that puts the spotlight on today's culture of dining with the place reflecting "Japan's modern-day food philosophy" once it opens in early 2016.

Clio, which first opened in 1997, is a high-end restaurant featuring French and New American fare, including such items as cassolette, butter-basted lobster, lamb porterhouse, Casco Bay scallops, peanut milk risotto, and foie gras laquee. Uni started out in 2002, with the sashimi bar offering sushi, ramen, sake, and more.

Ken Oringer is also involved with such places as Coppa and Toro in the South End, Earth at Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport, ME, and another location of Toro in Manhattan.

The address for Clio (and Uni) is 370 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215. The web page for both restaurants can be found at http://www.eliothotel.com/dining-en.html

[December 8 update: According to an article from boston.com, Clio plans to celebrate its 19 years in business with a 19-course retrospective menu on Tuesday, December 15; the post says that 17 guest chefs will be participating (all of whom worked at Clio at one point), including Tony Maws of Craigie on Main in Cambridge, Zach Watkins of Toro in the South End, Chris Chung of AKA Bistro in Lincoln, Renae Connolly of Cafe ArtScience, in Cambridge, and Chris Gould of Central Provisions in Portland, ME.]

[December 28 update: The Tables section of The Boston Globe states that Clio is actually closing at the end of business hours on Wednesday (December 30); we have been told that the restaurant will be closed on New Year's Eve for an event.]

[January 3, 2016 update: A Facebook post from Uni notes that the restaurant will be closed throughout the month of January as it gets ready to expand into the Clio space.]

[January 31, 2016 update: A new Facebook post from Ken Oringer mentions that Uni plans to open its doors in the former Clio space tomorrow (Monday, February 1).]